Written evidence submitted by Sustain (INS0019)

Sustain is the alliance for better food and farming. We represent over 110 food and farming organisations. It is a powerful alliance of organisations and communities working together for a better system of food, farming and fishing, and cultivating the movement for change. We have the following comments for the Committee Inquiry:

• The current evidence base for insect abundance in the UK, and the gaps in scientific understanding that require further research;

Some reviews suggest over 40% of insect species are in decline and so at risk of extinction over the next decades, more than twice that of vertebrate species. Other respondents, including Sustain Alliance members, will provide this in detail but we can refer you to the book recently authored by one of our staff members ‘Rebugging the Planet: The remarkable things that insects(and other invertebrates) do and why we need to love them more[1] where she details the multiple threats to the UK’s insect population which include; climate change; loss of habitat, refuges, corridors from land use and land use change; invasive species and diseases; and pollution from chemicals, pesticides and fertilisers, microplastics, noise, light, in water, air, soil, and marine habitats. She would be happy to provide a copy on request to the Committee.

The effects of pesticides, such as neonicotinoids or other agricultural control methods on insects including pollinators and their impact on UK food security;

Sustain and its members are clear that a transition to agroecological production (see box) on all UK farmland should be a government goal. In recent years, research has shown that a transition to agroecological farming is possible in the UK[2],[3],[4] and can feed us healthily. Alongside changes in supply chains, diets and food waste, it is clear such an approach could play a critical role in contributing to the UK’s goals on climate, nature and biodiversity.  It could deliver multiple benefits like restoring the insect population, resource efficiency minimising use of extracted materials, nutritional food security, and resilient food supply whilst protecting the natural assets that we need to produce that food, and maintain our wellbeing, below and above the soil. This should be a core goal of multiple government policies, including its environmental land management scheme which is supposed to replace the EU Common Agricultural Policy

A key component of this will be a move to using chemicals only as a last resort, using Integrated Pest Management tools and natural/cultivation tools to manage pests and disease. Beneficial insects and invertebrates (including wild pollinators, plant matter decomposers, pest predators, soil improvers such as worms and springtails), will flourish and costs reduced for the farmer. ELMS should deliver IPM in all farms as part of whole farm approaches. There are big risks to farmers and growers in transitioning and maintaining this form of farming so they need an adequate budget to deliver it.

Farmers are subject to the great buying power of their buyers, and find themselves squeezed by low prices and unacceptable specification demands (eg timing and cosmetics) from multiple actors in the supply chain. A key goal should be to curb specifications around size and appearance – these do not lead to a better product and often mean that farmers, in the drive to have a uniform product ends up wasting produce, or using chemicals and varieties that harm insects or reduce their habitat. 

• The extent that biodiversity initiatives, such as creating reservoir populations, are addressing insect decline and whether there is sufficient co-ordination with the UK food system;

We need a comprehensive approach to allow the food system, and wider land use, to deliver nature and insect protection and that includes action on unfair and unsustainable supply chain actions. Our ‘Unpicking Food Prices’ research shows that farmers often receive less than 1% of the profit made on their produce. They need both appropriate financial support and advice but also protection from abusive practices which limit their ability to farm sustainably.[5]  To ensure food system coherence we recommend the government:

• Whether the threat to UK food security from insect decline receives sufficient cross-government priority;

We need cross departmental action to deliver adequate protection and enhancement of nature including insects. Defra’s role, via environmental farm support and wider Agriculture transition planning, is clear and its budgets should be large enough to drive an agroecological transition as well as maintain a strong regulatory function to protect wildlife, air, soil, water everywhere. The OEP and Environment Act provide valuable tools for achieving targets for biodiversity protection and restoration and Defra should work to ensure they are met but will need other departments to act.

The role that other government departments plan in affecting land use is critical such as:

Additional policy initiatives and solutions needed in the UK and internationally to reduce and reverse the trends in insect decline.

Imports to the UK can be extremely harmful to insects as they can drive the destruction of deforestation and wetlands via the production of palm oil, beef and other meat, soya feeds, timber, paper and pulp, textiles like cotton – all key drivers of harmful land use change. The UK should be a leader in driving pro nature policy globally and particularly in climate and trade agreements as trade can be a seriously harmful in terms of insects. Trade policy and practice should be a force for good driving high standards and wildlife protection. The UK imports around 46% of its food and should not allowing that food production to destroy insect populations in other countries. Furthermore, the decline in insects is a global issue that transcends borders, so this remains our responsibility.

Defra has set up the Food Data Transparency Partnership which could be useful in terms of driving transparency in our food chain, however, it seems to have a long timetable. Insect species decline is urgent and could mean extinction – all too often this is closely driven by a food industry that inevitably has a vested interest in the status quo.

Agroecology

Agroecology is a framework that encompasses environment, social, and economic principles and values. It is often misunderstood that agroecology is only about the types of practices that make up a farming system. The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) set out 10 elements: diversity, co-creation and sharing knowledge, synergies, efficiency, recycling, resilience, human and social values, culture and food traditions, responsible governance, and circular and solidarity economy. In the UK, some of the types of farming system that fit into an agroecology framework includes organic, agroforestry, pasture-fed livestock, and market gardening. The key drivers of an agroecological farming system are:

              Use little-to-no synthetic inputs (fertiliser and pesticides).

              Minimal external animal feed inputs.

              Enhance ecosystem services (e.g. pollination, pest predation, soil health).

              Diverse crop rotations (including grass breaks) and pasture.

              Minimise greenhouse gas emissions and maximise nature outcomes.

              A fair reward in the marketplace.

Steadily moving to an agroecological system over several years (often 4-5) allows the land to adapt to changes. With input costs high and economic or geopolitical shocks likely to get worse, it would be sensible for the Government to support farmers to reduce their reliance. To do so, policy must help farmers build diversity into their farming system. Modelling by IDDRI shows that a transition to agroecological farming in the UK is possible. It shows that there are climate, nature, health, and food security benefits from doing so. Similarly, a meta-analysis on organic farming shows the much greater outcomes achieved from this type of system.


28 April 2023

 


[1] Her website with details is www.rebuggingtheplanet.org

[2] IDDRI, 2021, Modelling an agroecological UK – findings from TYFA - REGIO: https://www.iddri.org/sites/default/files/PDF/Publications/Catalogue%20Iddri/Etude/202111-ST1021-TYFA%20UK_0.pdf

[3] Sustainable Food Trust, Feeding Britain: https://sustainablefoodtrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/V2SFT_Feeding-Britain-from-the-Ground-Up-single-page-view-compressed-for-web.pdf

[4] National Food Strategy, 2021, The Plan: https://www.nationalfoodstrategy.org/

[5] For instance see our 500 farmer survey https://www.sustainweb.org/reports/beyond-the-farmgate/  and recent research on food prices https://www.sustainweb.org/reports/dec22-unpicking-food-prices/

[6] https://www.sustainweb.org/reports/jan23-review-of-national-planning-policy-framework/